Background
In modern era, states articulate their identity and foreign policy interests in the international system, seeking to influence the perceptions of others and to create an environment in which their goals and efficacy as an actor are viewed as legitimate. In the age of mass communication technologies and new media, the public diplomacy initiatives utilized to communicate these narratives have gone digital.
Pakistan, the world’s sixth most populous nation is situated at an important strategic position. Its international significance has increased mainly due to the ‘Great Game’ reaching its pinnacle in the neighborhood of Afghanistan, Iran and the Central Asia for which the province acts as the gateway to all these volatile regions. It was, therefore, inevitable that vested powers would start exploiting the situation to advance their interests.
However, in case of Pakistan, sadly there has been no campaign at all that put forwards the narrative of the state. At both the national as well as the international level, there is a complete absence of the Pakistani narrative and instead the void has been filled with narratives that are antithetical to the interests of the state.
In order to attain its interests through a prosperous state, Pakistan needs to focus on developing a versatile and proactive narrative for itself. The best instrument that can be used to kick start the vibrant process of narrative building is Digital Diplomacy.
The use of both Social media and digital media for political communication has been in vogue for several years now. The greatest medium of disseminating a narrative has been articles and opinion pieces via websites that are easily available to the common public who often seek information about current events to make sense of them.
To develop a Strategic Narrative for Pakistan in the mainstream and Digital realm, there is a need to establish a network of Strategic Communication. For this purpose, the Information Corridor is working on the storyline of state narrative to re-engage Pakistan for the upcoming dynamic scenarios for the state on national, regional and international forums.
An Overview of TIC
TIC was launched in August 2018. Although having an outlook and design of an easily accessible blog/ website, TIC functions as a hybrid mixture of media website and a think tank, the first of its kind in South Asia. Its areas of research include maritime law, hybrid warfare, CPEC, lawfare, strategy, defense, global affairs and politics. It has existing and vibrant Social Media Accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Insta-gram and YouTube). TIC produces impartial and balanced analysis, policy briefs, opinion pieces, snap shots and research briefs. In just over two years of its existence, TIC has accumulated reader base in USA, UK, GCC, EU, India and Pakistan.
Objectives of TIC
The objective of the Information Corridor is to reassemble the existential narrative of Pakistan according to the national interest of the country via mainstream media and Social Media. A discourse must be cultivated against the existential threats including propaganda, disinformation and biased opinion-making. The entire program will be based on setting up the indigenous counter narrative which can be defended on any domestic and international forum.
